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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28721211">Mistakes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gangstertogangster/pseuds/Gangstertogangster'>Gangstertogangster</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Luke Cage (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:14:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,697</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28721211</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gangstertogangster/pseuds/Gangstertogangster</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Shades and Mariah's child finds out some stuff about their past via Misty’s daughter</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Shades Alvarez/Mariah Dillard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Janis watched as Honor drank her hot chocolate and cried at the kitchen table. Her face was wrought with worry, looking at the 13 year old girl. </p><p>Her phone vibrated on and off, but she didn’t answer. She just kept looking at the young girl trembling and shaking. </p><p>Honor’s phone had been ringing nonstop, so she just turned it off. </p><p>At last Janis looked at her phone, and, finding it was her own son, picked up. </p><p> </p><p>“Darius?” </p><p> </p><p>“Mama, you can’t just ignore Hernan, he’s worried sick.” </p><p> </p><p>Janis just hung up. She went over to Honor, sat down at the table beside her. She held Honor’s hand, and squeezed it. Honor squeezed back. </p>
<hr/><p>Misty Knight answered the door. It was Mariah. </p><p> </p><p>“What in the hell did you tell my kid?!” Mariah demanded. </p><p> </p><p>Misty scoffed, folding her arms. She looked Mariah up and down. </p><p>“I didn’t tell her anything. Maybe she found out about some of the skeletons in your closet,” Misty told her. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah sucked her teeth. “You gonna let me in?” </p><p> </p><p>“Only because Honor is friends with Lucy,” Misty said, stepping aside and beckoning her in. </p><p> </p><p>Lucy saw Mariah enter the apartment. She quickly made a beeline for her room. </p><p> </p><p>“Would you like anything to drink?” Misty irritably asked Mariah. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah shook her head no, but then, remembering whose home she was in, said, “Coffee?” </p><p> </p><p>Misty snorted. She simply nodded, went to the kitchen counter and got a K pod, shoved it in the Keruig. She put a mug down, watched it fill, unceremoniously handed it to Mariah. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah sipped the drink, not taking her eyes off Misty. </p><p>“You better not have poisoned this shit,” Mariah muttered. She sat down on the couch. </p><p>Misty rolled her eyes. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah texted her husband. Nothing. “Hernan!” She groaned in frustration. </p><p> </p><p>Misty asked, “Who said you could sit down?” </p><p> </p><p>“My daughter ran away, to Comanche's mama's place no less, I can sit where the hell I want,” Mariah sighed. </p><p> </p><p>There was a silence between the two women. Finally, Mariah spoke again. </p><p>“May I speak with Lucy?” </p><p> </p><p>“Like hell you will!” Misty snapped. </p><p> </p><p>Lucy wandered on out of her room upon hearing her name. </p><p>“Mariah, Honor heard you had a girl killed over nothing. And you killed your cousin.” </p><p> </p><p>Mariah jumped to her feet. “Who’d she hear that from?” </p><p> </p><p>Lucy shrank. Misty instinctively got in front of her, her metal hand forming into a fist. </p><p> </p><p>Just then, the door opened. Hernan and Danny entered. </p><p>Misty and Mariah looked at their husbands, dumbfounded. </p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing here?” Mariah demanded of Hernan. </p><p> </p><p>“I could ask you the same thing. I’ve been trying to reach our daughter by phone but she won’t pick up,” He said. </p><p> </p><p>Danny went over towards Misty. He said, “I told Hernan that Lucy told Honor about Mariah and Hernan’s past. She must have overheard us.” </p><p> </p><p>Mariah cried, “It IS your fault! Talking all that shit!” </p><p>Misty just hugged her child close. </p><p> </p><p>Hernan gently put his hands on his wife’s arms, steadying her.</p><p>Misty and Danny looked at each other. Misty hated she felt pity. </p><p> </p><p>“What about Tilda? You could ask her to mediate,” Misty suggested. </p><p> </p><p>“We already called her, she said she’d go over to the Jones place tomorrow,” Mariah snottily replied. </p><p> </p><p>Lucy, unable to stand still, asked quietly, “May I go back to my room?” </p><p> </p><p>“Sure, baby,” Misty said. And quick as a flash Lucy left. </p><p> </p><p>“Hernan, don’t kill innocent people next time, then you won’t have to worry about your child,” Misty said. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah glared at her. Tears fell out of the corners of her eyes. </p><p> </p><p>Misty didn’t buy the show. </p><p>“Just go, ok? We’ll call if we hear anything.” </p><p> </p><p>Hernan now glared. He looked at his wife’s cup. He said, “May I have some coffee first?” </p><p>Misty groaned. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah gave her husband a dirty look.</p><p>He looked back at her, apologetic. “What? I’m thirsty.” </p><p> </p><p>Danny stepped in, “Sure, let’s all have coffee.” </p><p> </p><p>Hernan, Mariah, and Misty looked at Danny like he was crazy. </p><p>Even after all the years he still didn’t really get the double meaning. </p><p> </p><p>“Why can’t coffee just be coffee?” Danny asked, fed up. </p><p> </p><p>“It can be, you just risk sounding nasty,” Misty clarified. </p>
<hr/><p>Back at their brownstone, Mariah and Hernan still called and texted their daughter, Hernan repeatedly calling Janis for updates. </p><p>“At least we know she’s safe, with Janis,” Hernan said, “I just wish she’d talk to us.” </p><p> </p><p>“She knows we’re murderers, Hernan,” Mariah said, defeated.  </p><p>She added, “How is CHE in her good graces still?!” </p><p> </p><p>Hernan shook his head, “Don’t.” </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t WANT her to hate us. I already had one daughter hate me, I wanted to be a good mother!”  Mariah cried.</p><p> </p><p>Hernan stared at her, face all concern. He went over to her, held her close.</p><p> </p><p>“You are a very, very, very, good mother,” He whispered into her ear. </p><p> </p><p>She cried into his sweater. </p><p> </p><p>“I need a drink,” she mumbled. </p><p> </p><p>“That’s not gonna fix anything,” Hernan told her. </p><p> </p><p>“Why won’t she talk to me? <em>I</em> didn’t pop Candace,” Mariah sniffled. </p><p> </p><p>Hernan sighed in frustration. He pulled away. </p><p> </p><p>“What? It’s true!” Mariah reiterated. </p><p> </p><p>Hernan stared at her coldly. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry,” Mariah finally said, exasperated. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m gonna get her back, I promise you,” he said. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tilda stopped by Janis’ apartment. Janis buzzed her in, hugged her. </p><p> </p><p>Honor was watching television while texting. </p><p> </p><p>As soon as she saw Tilda, she ran towards her, tackling her in a big embrace.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Honor,” she said, “I want to talk to you. Come on, get your things and we’ll go to my shop, ok?” </p><p> </p><p>Honor nodded, saying, “As long as I don’t have to go back home.” </p><hr/><p>Upon entering Mother’s Touch, Tilda sat Honor down. </p><p> </p><p>“What happened?” </p><p> </p><p>Honor began to cry. “Lucy said that Misty hates papi and mama because they murdered an innocent girl. And mama killed cousin Cornell!” </p><p> </p><p>Tilda sighed. She remembered hearing about Cornell from both Luke and then Mariah herself. </p><p> </p><p>She hadn’t heard about the innocent girl, however. She’d go after Mariah later for that. </p><p> </p><p>She took a deep breath, held Honor close.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t want to lie to you. They made some grave mistakes. They did harm. There’s no excusing that. But they love you very much. They miss you. They grew. People change, and they get better.” </p><p> </p><p>“But isn’t murder wrong?” </p><p> </p><p>“Of course it is. But there are so many bad people. So many people worse than your mommy and daddy. They love and miss you.” </p><p> </p><p>“I miss them too. But if Lucy’s family hates them so much…” </p><p> </p><p>“Our family comes first, OK? Family first, always. Remember that. Your great grandma was a ruthless woman, a woman that our mother hates so much. But there’s love there still. Cornell was a murderer. He’s still family. Darius was a gangster just like your papi. He’s family. And you know John.” </p><p> </p><p>Honor felt hot tears fall down her cheeks. “Yeah I know John.” </p><p> </p><p>“Your parents miss you.” </p><p> </p><p>“Why am I in this family?” </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know, Honor, but I’m glad you’re here. You were meant to be here. I truly believe that.” </p><p> </p><p>“If they killed Cornell would they kill me?” </p><p> </p><p>“They’d never hurt you.” </p><p> </p><p>Honor cried and cried as Tilda wrapped her in a hug, singing to her softly. </p><p> </p><p>Tilda felt like dirt as she tried to convince her sister to excuse murder, and she immediately thought of taking a long bath as soon as this was over. </p><p> </p><hr/><p>Back at the brownstone Hernan was crying too. He didn’t want Mariah to hear him so he tried to be quiet. He was in the bathroom, looking at his reflection in the mirror, feeling like the absolute worst human being ever. He wanted to undo things. He wanted to be the father Honor deserved. </p><p> </p><p>He had to be strong for Mariah. He knew that much. He turned off the running tap water. Flushed the toilet. He was trying to pretend he’d used the bathroom. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah knew what was up. She saw it as soon as he walked into the living room. </p><p> </p><p>When she saw him she patted the seat next to her. He sat beside her. Mariah nestled her head right by his neck. </p><p> </p><p>“I’ll be damned if that little whore ruins this for us from beyond her grave,” Mariah whispered. Hernan tilted her face towards his and kissed her over and over. </p><p> </p><p>“I did it for you, and I’d do it again if it meant protecting you,” Hernan said in between kisses. </p><p> </p><p>“I know, baby,” Mariah cooed. </p><p> </p><p>“I’d do it for Honor too,” he breathed. He rested his head on her shoulder. </p><p> </p><p>She massaged his neck, whispering, “I know you would...She’ll come around…” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>The doorbell rang. Hernan jumped, taken way off guard. He hastily got up, went to see who it was. It was Tilda with Honor. </p><p> </p><p>Hernan’s whole face lit up. He beamed at her, saying gently, “Mami, I missed you so much, don’t run away ever again.”</p><p> </p><p>Honor looked at him skeptically. “Or you’ll kill me?” She said. </p><p> </p><p>That pierced him right in the heart. He still went on, “I’d never, ever hurt you, baby. You know that, mami.” </p><p> </p><p>Honor stepped out from behind Tilda and looked into his eyes. She sighed. She hugged him and he held tight to her for fear she’d leave again. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah came to the door, embracing Honor next. </p><p> </p><p>Tilda smiled nervously and waited for them to acknowledge her. Mariah went to Tilda next and hugged her. </p><p>“Thanks, T,” she whispered into her eldest daughter’s ear. </p><p> </p><p>Tilda nodded slowly. </p><p> </p><p>Before she knew it she was on the way back to her place above Mother’s Touch, planning which candles to light before her bath. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hernan and Mariah and their daughter had a long conversation. </p><p> </p><p>“Mama was facing the rest of her life locked up. I didn’t want that, and the girl who broke her promise would be putting her away. I would do anything for you and for your mother, Honor,” Hernan said. </p><p> </p><p>“What about cousin Cornell?” </p><p> </p><p>“Cornell hurt me. But I regret what I did to him. I’m not a monster, believe that, baby,” Mariah said. </p><p> </p><p>“Why didn’t Misty put you away?”</p><p> </p><p>“She doesn’t have the evidence. She’s always wanted me and your father to go down. Petty detective is all she is,” Mariah said. </p><p> </p><p>“Mami, would you kill me if I hurt you?” Honor asked, crying. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah looked at her, shaken to her core. She began to cry as well. “Never, baby, you’re one of the few good things that ever happened to me.” </p><p> </p><p>“Fifteen years ago we did so much bad, we did things we had to do to survive. But then we adopted you and you made us so much better,” Hernan said. </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t hate you guys,” Honor told them, “I just got scared. I don’t want you to hurt me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Baby,” Mariah said, tears streaming down her cheeks, “We would never hurt you. Mama Mabel was hurtful. I was hurtful to Tilda. But I grew. And I’m better to her. And I want to be the best mommy I can be to you, to both of you.” </p><p> </p><p>“We love you so much, mami,” Hernan said. </p><p> </p><p>“I love you guys, too,” Honor answered, crying. The three of them hugged each other up so tightly. </p><p> </p><p>“Can I still be friends with Lucy?” Honor asked, when she spoke again. </p><p> </p><p>“Of course, baby,” Hernan said, “Me and Danny Rand are friends and there’s no problems there.” </p><p> </p><p>“What about Misty? She can still lock you both up,” Honor sniffled. </p><p> </p><p>“That’s why we don’t discuss that kind of thing around her. Understood?” Mariah said. </p><p> </p><p>Honor looked at her feet. </p><p> </p><p>“Honor. I’m serious here. We don’t say shit. I was younger than you when I learned that.”</p><p> </p><p>Honor sullenly nodded her head. Then she turned and stood up, walked up the stairs without another word. </p><p>In her bed, she texted Lucy. Her heart pounded furiously. She just said, “Why did you have to tell me that?” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>She scrolled to her Nina Simone playlist, put her headphones on, let the music take her way. </p><p>Mariah went into her daughter’s room, saw her sound asleep. She gently kissed her on the forehead, whispered, “Buenas noches,” and caught sight of the number of notifications on her daughter’s phone. She snuck a peek.</p><p>It was a lot of Lucy saying “Because I don’t want any secrets between us,” and, “Honor I don’t want you to hate your parents, if it will make you feel better I can just not talk on them...” </p><p>Mariah scoffed, muttered, “Yeah you better not,” as she snuck out of the room. </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Tilda rubbed at her arms in her living room. She was alone and in her pajamas, pacing the floor. </p><p>She remembered the bloody paper towels in the trash cans, the secret meetings, all the damn secrets that enshrouded her own childhood. Thankfully, Honor was spared most of that. </p><p>But like her, she had the murders sprung on her out of nowhere and no room to really process it. </p><p> </p><p>Tilda wanted to throw up, knowing she instructed her baby sister to make peace with these horrible people that were the child’s parents. </p><p>She just really wanted the young girl to have something, and she saw how much effort, comparatively, Mariah was putting into parenting this time around. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>She knew, vaguely, about Candace Miller’s death. The truth always hurt. Honor was relatively sheltered and learning the hard way just how painful it could be. </p>
<hr/><p>The next day Richard and Honor were hanging out in Central Park, sitting on a hilly spot in the sun. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Honor had her signature Ray-Bans on, but Richard could still tell that his best friend was stressing behind the shades. </p><p> </p><p>“So your dad shot a lady in the head and your mom murdered her cousin?”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Honor nodded, softly sipping at her cold brew. “Lucy told me her mom said my mom bashed cousin Cornell’s head in with a mic stand.” </p><p> </p><p>“I felt the same way when I heard my father tried to decapitate Vasya’s uncle with a car door.” </p><p> </p><p>Honor stared at him, amazed. “No shit! But…” She looked back down at her drink. </p><p> </p><p>“But what?” Richard took a long swig of his flat white. </p><p> </p><p>“How did you feel when you learned about the killings?” </p><p> </p><p>Richard gave her a disbelieving look. “Honor there’s literally no way you didn’t know your parents did some shit.” </p><p> </p><p>Honor glared, said, “Excuse me?!” </p><p> </p><p>“You know my dad did shit, I know your parents did shit. I’m just more discreet than Lucy,” Richard said. </p><p> </p><p>“You know your dad straight up bashed your grandpa’s head in with a hammer?” Honor challenged. </p><p> </p><p>“And a mic stand is any better?” Richard countered. </p><p> </p><p>They sat silently for a while after that. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re so not more discreet than Lucy,” Honor finally said, out of the blue. </p><p> </p><p>Richard chuckled at that, then started straight up laughing. Honor laughed too. </p><p> </p><p>“Did Wilson give you the ‘we don’t say shit’ talk?” Honor asked him. </p><p> </p><p>Richard nodded, holding his stomach as his laughter grew. </p><p>Honor lay in the grass next to him, putting her drink to the side. The clouds always looked so much darker from behind her sunglasses, but it was a strangely comforting effect. </p><p>Richard lay down as well, doing the same. They watched the clouds go by until some bratty kids began crying about soft pretzels from the trucks.</p><p>Honor and Richard both groaned loudly at that. </p><p>Honor suddenly said, “Lucy texted me that she didn’t want any secrets. She knew my dad killed a lady that her mom was trying to protect.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“So that’s a good thing,” Richard assured her. </p><p>“I don’t want to choose between my parents and Lucy. I don’t want to hate Misty. Or Danny. How are my dad and Danny even friends?!” </p><p>“Try to just go with the flow. That’s how us gangster kids have to cope.” <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Mami said that ‘we don’t say shit to cops’, but I want to tell Lucy everything!” Honor began to cry under the shield of the sunglasses. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Lucy isn’t a cop. You guys just don’t need to talk about parents. Misty and Mariah aren’t gonna get along and you both know that. But...” </p><p>Honor scoffed, annoyed. “But what, dummy?”</p><p>”If Mariah knew you wanted to daaaate her...” </p><p>Richard smirked as Honor shoved him harder than just a little playfully. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“YOU don’t say shit, Rich, let’s make that crystal clear,” Honor hissed. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Richard, teasing, pretended to mull this over. Honor shoved him again. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Honor was damn sure that Mariah looked at her phone, the texts from Lucy. She said as much to Mariah. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah sighed, then admitted, “I went to say goodnight and your phone was blowing up.” </p><p> </p><p>“Can you not snoop through my phone, mami?” Honor asked. </p><p> </p><p>Hernan drank his coffee at the table, trying to just not get into this. </p><p> </p><p>“You SAID I could be friends with Lucy no problem!” Honor cried. She slumped in her chair at the kitchen table, trying to concentrate on her cereal, growing soggier the longer it settled in the milk. </p><p> </p><p>Hernan finally cleared his throat, having had just about enough. He turned to Mariah, sitting between him and Honor, and said, “OK, let’s make a deal. We don’t go through her phone.” </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t need you parenting me, Hernan,” Mariah informed him. She turned to their daughter and firmly said, “I won’t look at your phone again, I promise.” </p><p> </p><p>Honor didn’t even touch her cereal before she got up from the table. She went to her parents, kissed them each goodbye, then left for the door. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah got up as quick as she could, saying, “Wait, Honor!” </p><p> </p><p>Honor turned around. “What is it, mama?” </p><p> </p><p>“How about we have a girls’ day, you can stay home just once and we can go get our nails done, just the two of us...” </p><p> </p><p>Honor thought for a bit. She bit her lip, unsure what to say. She finally said, “I gotta go.” And with that, she left. </p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>Mariah stared at the shut door, helpless. </p><p>
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</p><p>Being a retired criminal and ongoing philanthropist was no small feat. Mariah had more free time than she felt she really needed, but she worked tirelessly for her New Harlem Renaissance. No one could take that away. </p><p> </p><p>Hernan was more or less a stay at home dad. He was allowed more to do within his wife’s philanthropic efforts and political contributions, certainly more to do with the nightclub they now co-owned, but he was still considered, well, shady. </p><p> </p><p>They both went into Harlem’s Paradise, sat at the big desk in the swivel chair, though usually at different times. They both attended the concerts, sitting up in VIP. However, a lot could be done from home. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah was restless. She paced around the living room while Hernan sat on the couch, unable to think of what to say next. </p><p> </p><p>“Hernan, just say something!” Mariah groaned. </p><p> </p><p>“What’s there to say? She wants space.” </p><p> </p><p>“Look, besides the fact that we can’t just have our daughter hating us, we need to be sure she won’t go off conspiring and shit with the Knight girl!” </p><p> </p><p>Hernan looked at her, asked irritably, “Why would she do that?”</p><p> </p><p>Mariah glared back at him. “I don’t know, Hernan!” She then muttered, “I need a drink…”</p><p> </p><p>Hernan got up quickly from his seat, said, “No, you don’t.” </p><p> </p><p>Mariah gave him a lingering, mean stare. He stood in front of her, his hands on her shoulders, his fingers massaging them. </p><p> </p><p>The two of them stayed like that for a bit. Mariah moved into him as he put his arms around her, and she rested her head against him. </p><p> </p><p>He leaned in and kissed her hair. She lifted her head up and kissed his mouth. He moved his hands down her back, grabbing her butt. She moved her hands towards the zipper on his pants, he nuzzled his face into her neck, the two of them not wanting to think about anything wrong, when Mariah’s phone on the table made the sudden ‘PING!’ that signified a text had been sent to her. </p><p> </p><p>“Ignore it…” Hernan sighed, not wanting to stop. Mariah was tempted to keep going but she reluctantly broke away and went to see who it was. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah looked down at the text message. She smiled as she did so. Hernan went over, asked, “Who was it?” </p><p> </p><p>“Honor,” Mariah smiled, “She’s saying she’s sorry and she loves me.”</p><p> </p><p>Hernan grinned at that, held his wife’s hand as she kept reading over the short text.  </p><p>
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</p><p>Later that night, the three of them ate dinner together. </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t understand you guys, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you,” Honor said after a long silence. </p><p> </p><p>Hernan and Mariah looked at each other, confused. </p><p> </p><p>“Family comes first, I know that. Lucy is my family almost, but so are you.” She began to cry. </p><p> </p><p>Hernan, who sat next to her at the table, put his arm around her, kissed her head. </p><p>“If Tilda can learn to live with...this...and if Richard could too...then so can I,” Honor sniffled, “I just don’t need or want to hear about it.”</p><p> </p><p>Hernan looked at her, felt his eyes getting wet as well. He wrapped her in a hug. </p><p>Mariah got up out of her seat and hugged Honor next.</p><p> </p><p>“Can we have the girls’ day, mami?” Honor asked Mariah. </p><p> </p><p>Mariah smiled, wiped a tear away from her own face, said, “If you do all your homework tonight.”</p><p> </p><p>Honor laughed, nodded in agreement. </p><p> </p><p>As she lay in bed, eyes glued to her phone, Honor mulled over the week. </p><p>She texted with Tilda until Tilda reminded her to go to bed and get some sleep before school. </p><p>Honor snorted, said, "I'm having a girls' day with mami tomorrow, it's all good." </p><p>Tilda was typing something but rescinded it. Then typing again and rescinding. Then finally, she texted back, "Have fun!!"</p><p>Honor smiled and turned her phone off for the night. She shut her eyes. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought of her parents, how two messed up people could possibly be so great at the same time. She thought of how Tilda must have had the same struggle, how Richard certainly did.</p><p>It could only get easier from here. </p>
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